Testing Services

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Testing Services administers and coordinates Placement Testing in English (Reading and Writing) and Mathematics. Testing Services is located on the 5th floor of the C Building (Sachs Administration Building). Students must register online, in person, or by phone before taking the test.

Registering for the Placement Test

You may also register in person at Testing Services located on the 5th floor of the C Building or by calling at 1-773-442-5293. Please refer to the current Math and English Placement Test schedule for the testing dates. Any cancellations or changes must be made 48 hours in advance.

Registration for a date is strongly recommended so we have a record of what tests you need to take in advance, but walk-ins can be accommodated based on availability.

Math Placement Test

The Math Placement Test (MPT) evaluates your initial course readiness to be successful in mathematics at Northeastern Illinois University. The university does not allow students to register for any mathematics course without prior testing (MPT or ACT) or college-level coursework.

Freshmen

All entering freshman students are given two options for placement into a math course: ACT Math score or the Math Placement Test (MPT). Freshmen who submit ACT scores to the university can be placed directly into a math course solely based on their ACT math score. They also have the option of taking the Math Placement Test (MPT), in which case the university will use the higher of the tscores for placement into a math course. Since there is no penalty to taking the MPT, freshmen are strongly encouraged to do so, particularly if they took a math course in their senior year of high school. Freshmen who do not submit ACT scores must take the Math Placement Test.

The exemptions from taking the Math Placement Test are:

Freshmen with a Math ACT score of 28 or higher do not need to take the Math Placement Test since one cannot place any higher by taking the test.

Freshmen with a Math ACT score of 25-27 have met the Math/Quantitative Reasoning Requirement without taking a course but can still place higher by taking the test.

Freshmen who receive a score of '3' or higher on the AP Calculus test are not required to take the Math Placement Test.

Transfers

Transfer students who have not successfully completed college-level coursework in mathematics at their prior institution are required to take the Math Placement Test.

The exceptions to this policy are:

Transfer students who receive a grade of 'C' or better in Intermediate Algebra at their transfer institution do not need to take the MPT. However, since Intermediate Algebra is not a college-level course, they will be required to provide proof of course completion in the form of an unofficial transcript to the Mathematics Department in order to obtain permission to register for appropriate level math courses at NEIU.

Transfer students who have submitted their ACT scores can be placed into a math course solely based on their ACT Math score.

Click on MPT results or ACT scores for more information on placement in Math courses based on Math Placement test results or Math ACT scores.

Please note: Calculators are not allowed to be used during MPT.

English Placement Test

The purpose of the English Placement Test (EPT) is to place students in appropriate English classes so they can not only satisfy the University's English composition requirement, but also so they can be prepared for their general education and major courses.

Who needs to take the English Placement Test?

The English Placement Test (EPT) is given to all incoming freshmen and transfer students who have not successfully completed ENGL 101 or an equivalent course at their previous institution. The EPT is divided into two parts: a writing test and a reading test.

Not all students are required to take the reading portion of the EPT. Students who enter the university with an ACT reading score of 20 or higher, will be excused from taking the reading portion of the English Placement Test but they still need to take the writing portion.